Take-up mechanism



p 1962 D. M. SCHWARTZ ET AL 3,055,489

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Jan. 15, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 INVENTORS.

DAN/EL M. SCHWARTZ DONALD E HENDR/CKSON By xwz ATTORNEYS.

/ 5M WWW p 1962 D. M. SCHWARTZ ET AL 3,055,489

TAKE-UP MECHANISM 6 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1959 00% E HENDRICKSONer 47m ATTORNEYS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 m llmr 0 5: 5: Wm M IIIIWHIYIIIIIHFIIIHIIII lh wif/ m Sept. 25, 1962 D, M. SCHWARTZ ET ALTAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Jan. 15, 1959 Sept. 25, 1962 D. M. SCHWARTZ ETAL 3,055,489

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Jan. 15, 1959 e Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS. EL MSCHWARTZ D4N/ T=- DONALD E HENDRICKSON KM B A TTORNE KS Sept. 25, 1962SCHWARTZ ET AL 3,055,489

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Jan. 15, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS.

SCHI444RTZ ATTORNEYS p 1962 D. M. SCHWARTZ ET AL 3,055,489

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Jan. 15, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS DAN/ELM SCHWARTZ DONALD E. HENDPICKSON BV KM ATTORNEY3 United States PatentOfifiC 3,055,489 Patented Sept. 25, 1962 3,055,489 TAKE-UP MECHANISMDaniel M. Schwartz and Donald E. Hendrickson, Salt Lake City, Utah,assignors to The Eimco Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporationof Delaware Filed Jan. 15, 1959, Ser. No. 786,971 9 Claims. (Cl.198-208) This invention relates to new and improved take-up mechanismand, in particular, to resilient take-up mechanism for conveyors,traveling webs and belts, and the like.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide improvedresilient take-up mechanism including adjusting means for moving thetake-up rod against resilient urging of resilient means for assemblingand disassembling the mechanism.

A further object is to provide such a device wherein the adjusting meansincludes cooperating threadedly engaged elements which only takes theforce of the resilient means during assembly and disassembly.

A further object is to provide such a device that is reliable in use,sturdy in construction, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention will be described with reference to the incorporation ofthe novel resilient take-up mechanism in an endless belt conveyor and inconjunction with a novel sliding pan arrangement for the coveyor andmovable with the resilient take-up mechanism.

The invention generally comprises a resilient take-up mechanismincluding a frame having an opening therein, a take-up member guided foraxial movement through said frame opening, resilient means normallyurging the takeup member in one direction axially of the frame opening,

means for longitudinally adjusting the take-up member against theresilient urging of the resilient means including a threaded portion onthe take-up member and a mating threaded member, the threaded memberbeing adjustable into abutting engagement with the frame tolongitudinally move the take-up member in the other direction axially ofthe frame opening against the resilient urging of the resilient means.

The invention will be more particularly described in reference to theaccompanying illustrative embodiments thereof, wherein:'

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a pivoted bucket material handlingmachine including'a conveyor incorporating the features of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the front endportion of the structures shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view of the tensioningmechanism shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in partial section of therearward portion of the conveyor; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in partial section of a modified form oftake-up member.

Referring to the illustrative embodiments of the invention, there isshown a material handling and excavating apparatus as disclosed inUnited States patent application Serial No. 739,751, filed June 4, 1958,of which this is a continuation-in-part.

The machine generally comprises a main frame 1.0 mounted on pairedlaterally extending crawler frames 12 carrying self-laying endlesstraction chains 16 and 18.

The vehicle carries at its forward end a material handling structure 20of the type adapted to load or gather material at a low forward positionand to discharge the material at an elevated position into a materialconveying apparatus generally designated 22 adapted to receive materialfrom the material handling device at its forward end 24 and to conveythe material upwardly and rearwardly to a discharge end 30 positionedrearwardly of the rear end of the main frame of the vehicle.

The conveyor 22 includes spaced side walls 32 and 34, the forward endsof which flare outwardly to provide a material receiving bin having sidewalls 36 and 38 and a front end wall 40. The side walls 36 and 38 andthe front end wall 40 are shaped to provide a substantially enclosedreceiver for the bucket 50 when the bucket is in the discharge postionas shown in FIG. 1.

Between the side walls 36 and 38 is a bed plate 52 suitably supported ontransverse structural members 54. The bed 52 receives, on the uppersurface thereof, an endless conveyor chain 56 provided with laterallyextending chain flights 58 which gather the material discharged into thehopper and conveys the material upwardly and rearwardly to the dischargeend 30. The return flight of the endless conveyor chain 56 is below thedeck plate 52 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 of thedrawings.

Positioned at the forward end 24 of the conveyor is an idler shaft 60which is reciprocally mounted in front conveyor support members orframes generally designated 62 and 64. Each'of the side plates ofsupport members 62 and 64 of the conveyor is provided with a wingportion 66 and 68, respectively. These wing portions are bored andconnected by pins 70 to the bosses 72 of the main frame 10. The rearwardportion 30 of the conveyor 22 is secured to the rearward deck portion ofthe main frame 10 of the vehicle by vertically extending structuralmembers 74. The lower ends of the members 74 are pin connected as at 76to the rear end .78 of the main frame 10 of the vehicle while the upperends are pin connected as at 80 to a bracket 82 secured to each side 32and 34 of the conveyor.

By pin connecting the conveyor 22 at its rearward end to the main frameof the vehicle through the vertically extending structural members 74and at its forward end through the winged frames 62 and 64 to the mainframe 10 stresses and strains placed upon the vehicle when operating onunlevel ground and the like are kept to a minimum as relative movementis permitted at the points of the plural pin connections.

The front idler shaft 60 has a centrally positioned sprocket 84 formedthereon to provide a guide for directing the passage of the flexibleconveyor chain 56 about the forward end of the conveyor structure and toinsure rotation of idler shaft 60 with movement of conveyor chain 56.The extended ends 85 of the idler shaft 60 are rotatably mounted inbearings 86 maintained in bearing blocks 88 provided with quadrangularfaces 90 which are slidably received in an elongated traekway 92 formedin each of the front mounting members or frame portions 62 and '64 forthe conveyor. The trackways 92 formed in each of the support members 62and 64 are enlarged as at 94 at their rearward ends whereby the bearingblocks 88 may be inserted in or removed from their respective trackwaysas to be more fully described hereinafter.

As more clearly shown in FIG. 4, the rearwardly extending portions ofeach of the bearing retaining blocks 88 is provided with plural bossesdesignated 100, 102 and 104. Bosses are received in the bifurcated ends106 of take-up members 108 which control the longitudinal receiprocatingmovement of the bearing blocks 88. The bifurcated ends 106 are bored andconnected by pins 110 to bearing block bosses 100. The bifurcated 3 end106 of each take-up member or shaft 108 is also provided with a lowerseat 112 for spring 114 while the other end of each spring abuts the end116 of its respective conveyor support frame.

Each of the ends 116 of the frames 62 and 64 is bored to receive asleeve 118 freely therethrough, with clearance 120 between the outersurface of the sleeve 118 and the inner surfaces of the openings throughthe rearward portions 116 of the frames.

The sleeves 118 protect the threaded portion 122 of each of the take-upmembers 108 during reciprocation of the take-up members in the bores inthe end plates 116 of the frames 62 and 64. The rearwardmost end of eachof the sleeves 118 engages a boss 124 at the inner end of each of thecapstan nuts 126 which capstan nuts are threadedly mounted on theextended ends of the threaded portions 122 of each of the take-upmembers 108. The sleeves 118 may be press-fitted to the bosses 124 orwelded thereto to insure that the sleeves remain in their protectivelocation relative to the threaded portions 122 of the take-up members.

Each of the capstan nuts 126 may be provided with a pin 128 whereby thenuts may be pin-connected to the extended end of its take-up member 108in a normal operating position. While in the form of the inventionillustrated in the drawings, the resilient means or spring 114 is of thecompression type, it will be apparent that extension spring or othertypes of resilient means acting between the frames 62 and 64 andrespective takeup members 108 could be employed for urging the bearingblocks 88 in a direction remote from the ends 116 of the frames to placetension on the endless conveyor chain 56 or other member passing aboutthe roller 60.

In operation of the idler shaft tensioning structure, with the mechanismpositioned as shown, the springs 114 maintain a predetermined forwardpressure on their respective bearing retaining blocks 88 urging theroller 60 forward against the endless conveyor chain 56 while permittingthe chain to resiliently give in the event rocks and other foreignmaterial lodge between the chain links which would normally interferewith the passage of the chain about the idler and drive shafts, thusrelieving the conveyor chain of unnecessary strains. The tensioningmechanism also provides the means whereby the conveyor chain may bemanually placed in a slack condition for easy removal, replacement andrepair. To remove the tension on the chain, pins 128, where they areemployed, are removed and each of the capstan nuts 126 is screwed towardthe bifurcated ends of the guide rods. When the capstan nuts 126 arescrewed downwardly until their inner faces are in engagement with theouter surfaces of frame members 116 of their respective support members,further rotation of the capstans compress the springs 114 and slide thebearing blocks 88 toward the rearward ends of their tracks 92 formed inrespective conveyor support frames 62 and 64.

If it is necessary to remove or replace the take-up springs 114, if theyhave been broken or damaged, this may be readily accomplished withoutdismantling the whole conveyor.

To remove the spring take-up assembly, nut 126 is turned to compress thespring 114 until the resilient force of the spring is restrained andtransferred from a direct force on the pin 110 to restraint against theframe. The pin 110 can then be removed freely. After the pin is removedthe nut 126 is turned further to move the bifurcated end 106 to the rearuntil it is clear of boss 100. The whole assembly may then be cocked tothe outside in clearance 120 provided in the opening in end frame 116.Nut 126 is then turned in the opposite direction and removed from thetake-up member 108, allowing complete disassembly.

To install a new spring the procedure is reversed by tightening nut 126and compressing the spring 114, at the same time advancing end 106 tothe rear until it can be inserted over the boss 100. Turning capstan nut126 in the opposite direction will allow the spring to expand and thebifurcated end 186 to advance over boss until the pin can be replaced.

As hereinbefore described, each of the bearing blocks 88 also includesbosses 102 and 104. These bosses are bored to receive the pins 110 whichcouple the bifurcated ends 106 of the guide rods 108 to the bosses 100.Between each of the pair of bosses 102 and 104, and maintained thereinby pins 110, are plates which are interconnected by a depending rib 132secured such as by welding to the under surface of a plate 134corresponding to a front extension of the bed 52 of the conveyor. Themost rearward edge of the bed extension 134, designated 136, is taperedto provide a narrow edge for sliding contact with the bed 52. It willalso be noted from FIGS. 3 and 4 that the bed extension 134 overlaps theforward edge of the main bed 52 to insure that as the bearing blocks 88carrying the idler shaft 60 are caused to reciprocate, by foreignmaterial which may engage the links in the conveyor chain 56 no openspace is formed in the conveyor deck.

The conveyor chain 56 is driven from the discharge end 30 of theconveyor by sprocket 138 secured to live shaft 140 rotatably mounted inbearing blocks 142 secured to each side wall of the conveyor. The shaft140 has also secured thereto a sprocket 144 about which a drive chain146 is trained. The drive chain 146 extends about a pair of idlersprockets 148 and 150 and then about a driven sprocket 152 keyed to theoutput shaft 154 of a reduction gear unit 156 driven by a motor 158supported between the vertical support members 74 at the rearward end ofthe conveyor.

As more clearly shown in FIG. 1, the lower flight of the drive chain 146passes over chain guides 160 while the upper flight of the drive chain146 is provided with guide elements 162.

In order to reduce the headroom requirements of the material handlingmachine, in the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, therearward portion of the conveyor 22 is disposed in a plane generallyparallel with the bed of the main frame 10 of the vehicle. Referringparticularly to FIG. 6 of the drawings, at the line of juncture 164between the generally horizontal portion and the inclined portion of theconveyor, the bed 52 of the conveyor 22 is apertured and an idlersprocket generally designated 166 is rotatably mounted in suitablebearings 168 with a segment of the barrel portion 170 of the idlersprocket 166 projecting through the aperture to engage the conveyorchain 56. The toothed portion 172 of the sprocket 166 provides lateralstability to the conveyor chain and the location of the idler sprocket166 supports the upper conveyor flight of the conveyor chain to minimizewear on the conveyor pan 52 in the area of the conveyor bend from theinclined portion to the generally horizontal portion.

The lower flight 174 of the conveyor chain 56 is also supported in thearea of the juncture between the inclined and the horizontal portions ofthe conveyor structure. The lower flight 174 is supported by a pair ofidler sprockets 176 and 178. Each of these idler sprockets rotate withmotion of conveyor chain 56 and each is suitably supported in bearingscarried by brackets generally designated which brackets are secured tothe conveyor structure. As more clearly shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings,the lower idler sprocket 176 and the upper idler sprocket 178 for thelower chain flight 174 are positioned generally forwardly and rearwardlyof the upper chain flight support and idler sprocket 166, whereby thelower flight 174 of the conveyor chain is elevated and the weight of thelower flight of the conveyor chain is effectively carried minimizingunnecessary loading and wear of the conveyor chain during its returnflight.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the conveyor fullyaccomplishes the aims and objects hereinbefore set forth. It will alsobe apparent that other advantages are inherent in the improved conveyorstructure. For example, with the conveyor chain 56 driven by the rearsprocket 140 the tension side of the chain is upper material conveyingflight thereof, whereby the tension required for proper operation of thestructure is reduced and in addition the conveyor chain 56 is to a largemeasure prevented from bunching up as it drags material being conveyedacross the pan 52 to the discharge end 30 of the conveyor bed.

Having described our invention, it will be seen that a novel resilienttake-up mechanism is provided for belts, chains and the like and animproved conveyor fiight including a sliding pan extension movable withthe extension and retraction of a conveyor chain or web passing aboutthe take-up mechanism. 'It will be apparent that various modificationsmay be made in the form of construction shown in the drawings withoutdeparting from the invention as defined in the appended claims. Forexample, the nut 126 for the take-up member 108 could comprise anexternally threaded bolt as illustrated in FIG. 7. Referring to FIG. 7,the take-up member 108' is bored and internally threaded as shown at200. The internal threads of the take-up member 108 mate with theexternal threads 202 of a capstan bolt 204 which bolt is provided with aboss 206 to which the sleeve 118 is secured.

In operation of this form of the invention, the mating threads on thecapstan bolt and the take-up member 108' do not take any of the force ofspring 114'. However, when it is desired to assemble or disassemble theunit bolt 204 is screwed inwardly of the take-up member 108' until theface 208 of the bolt head comes into contact with surface 210 of theframe portion 116'. Further inward movement of the bolt 204 compressesspring 114" as the lower end 106' of the take-up member 108' is movedtoward the frame portion 216' as described with reference to the form ofthe invention shown in FIGS. 1-6.

We claim:

1. A resilient take-up device comprising a frame having an openingtherein, a bearing member slidably mounted in said frame, a take-upmember guided for axial movement through said frame opening andconnected to said bearing member for reciprocation therewith, resilientmeans normally urging said take-up member in one direction axially ofsaid frame opening, means for longitudinally adjusting said take-upmember against the resilient urging of said resilient means including athreaded portion on said take-up member and a mating threaded member,said threaded member being adjustable into abutting engagement with saidframe to longitudinally move said take-up member in the other directionaxially of said frame opening against the resilient urging of saidresilient means when said threaded member is screwed toward saidresilient means from a position of abutting engagement with said frame.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said re silient meanscomprises a compression spring.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said mating threaded membercomprises a nut.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said mating threaded membercomprises. a bolt.

5. A resilient take-up device comprising a frame having an openingtherein, a bearing member slidably mounted in said frame, a take-upmember guided for axial movement through said frame opening andpivotally connected to said bearing member for reciprocation therewith,resilient means acting between said frame and said take-up member andnormally urging said take-up member in one direction axially of saidframe opening, means for longitudinally adjusting said take-up memberagainst the resilient urging of said resilient means including athreaded portion on said take-up member and a mating threaded membernormally maintained out of engagement with said frame, said threadedmember being ad- '6 'justable into abutting engagement with said frameto longitudinally move said take-up member in the other directionaxially of said frame opening against the resilient urging of saidresilient means when said threaded member is screwed toward saidresilient means from a position of abutting engagement with said frame.

6. A resilient take-up device comprising a frame hav-- ing an openingtherein, a bearing member slidably mounted in said frame, a take-upmember guided for axial movement through said frame opening andpivotally connected to said heating member for reciprocation therewith,resilient means acting between one face of said frame and the take-upmember normally urging said take-up member in one direction axially ofsaid frame opening, means for longitudinally adjusting said take-upmember against the resilient urging of said resilient means including athreaded portion on said take-up member and a mating threaded member onsaid take-up member and positioned adjacent the other face of saidframe, said threaded member being adjustable along said take-up memberinto abutting engagement with the said other face of said frame tolongitudinally move said take-11p member in the other direction axiallyof said opening against the resilient urging of said resilient means.

7. In an endless conveyor comprising a material receiving end and amaterial discharge end, an endless conveyor means extending between saidreceiving and discharge ends, drive means for said endless conveyorchain connected to one of said ends, an idler shaft at the other endabout which said endless conveyor means pass, and means for urging saididler shaft away from said drive end comprising a pair of side framesfor said conveyor, means slidably mounting the ends of the idler shaftin the respective side frames, each of said side frames having anopening therein, a take-up member guided for axial movement through theopening in each of the side frames and having connection to itsrespective mounting means for the idler shaft ends, resilient meansacting between one face of said frame and the take-up member andnormally urging said take-up mem her in one direction axially of saidframe opening, means for longitudinally adjusting said take-up memberagainst the resilient urging of said resilient means including athreaded portion on said take-up member and a mating threaded member onsaid take-up member and position adjacent the other face of said frame,said threaded member being adjustable into abutting engagement with thesaid other face of its respective frame to longitudinally move saidtake-up members toward the drive end of the conveyor axially of each ofsaid frame openings against the resilient urging of said resilientmeans.

8. In an endless conveyor comprising a material receiving end and amaterial discharge end, an endless conveyor means extending between saidreceiving and discharge ends, drive means for said endless conveyorchain connected to one of said ends, an idler shaft at the other endabout which said endless conveyor means pass, and means for urging saididler shaft away from said drive end comprising spaced bearing blocksfor the ends of said conveyor shaft, said bearing blocks mounted forreciprocating motion in guideways, rear stop members for said guidewayshaving openings therethrough, a takeup member guided for axial movementthrough the openings in each of the stop members and having connectionto its respective mounting means for the idler shaft ends, resilientmeans normally urging each of said take-up members in one directionaxially of said stop member openings, means for longitudinally adjustingeach of said take-up members against the resilient urging of saidresilient means including a threaded portion on each of said take-upmembers and a mating threaded member therefor, said threaded memberbeing adjustable into abutting engagement with its respective stopmember to longitudinally move the take-up members in the other directionaxially of said stop member openings against the resilient urging ofsaid resilient means when said threaded member is screwed toward saidresilient means from a position of abutting engagement with said frame.

9. The invention defined in claim 8 including a conveyor pan extensionadjacent the idler shaft and means connecting said conveyor panextension to said bearing blocks whereby said pan extension reciprocateswith said conveyor shaft.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSFOREIGN PATENTS Germany Ian. 22, 1912

